Growing Means Dying?

Does growing as a Christian mean dying?
Our pastor at the Bible Church of Beebe has been preaching through the book of Ephesians, which has greatly challenged us in our Christian walk.  The last few Sundays he has taught in Ephesians chapter 5.  This past Sunday he shared with us a quote from pastor & teacher John MacArthur that is so powerful and life changing that we decided to share it with others.  In order for us to grow in Christ-likeness, we must learn to die to self, which is in complete opposition to the world's philosophy of self-esteem.  Although this quote was directed toward men, it is applicable for everyone.

 “Death to Self—saves you from being defensive, revengeful, retaliatory, hostile, accumulating the list of things against you.  When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposefully set aside, and you sting and hurt with the insult or oversight, but your heart is happy, and you count it a privilege to suffer for Christ—that is dying to self.   When your good is evil spoken of, when she misunderstands you, when your desires are not interesting to her, when your advice is disregarded and your opinions are ridiculed, when you are mistreated or misunderstood and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself—that is dying to self. When you lovingly patiently bear any disruption, any irregularity, any annoyance, when you can stand face to face with folly, and waste, extravagance and insensitivity and endure it as Jesus endured it, that is dying to self.  

When you are content with any food, any clothes, any climate, any society, any interruption, any solitude, that is dying to self.  When you never care to refer to yourself in a conversation, or to record and recite your own good works, or to pursue commendation, when you can truly love to be unrecognized for something good, that is dying to self.  

When you see someone else prosper, someone else reach goals that you desire and you can honestly rejoice with that other person in spirit, feel no envy and not question God while your needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances that is dying to self.  When you can receive correction and reproof from your wife and humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly feel no rebellion and no resentment rising in your heart, that is dying to self.  That’s what makes you the leader that God wants you to be in your home.”  

As God's child, what does it look like for you or me to die to self daily?   Although the specifics will be different for each of us, (each one has specific heart issues) we can all relate to the "heart struggle" or the dying to self struggle.   So, we can say that growing does mean dying...

Proverbs Chapter 17

Proverbs 17:1 Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it Than a house full of feasting with strife. 2 A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, And will share in the inheritance among brothers. 3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests hearts. 4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips; A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. 5 He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker; He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished. 6 Grandchildren are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons is their fathers. 7 Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying lips to a prince. 8 A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers. 9 He who conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends. 10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool. 11 A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. 12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly. 13 He who returns evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house. 14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. 15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. 16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, When he has no sense? 17 A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. 18 A man lacking in sense pledges And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor. 19 He who loves transgression loves strife; He who raises his door seeks destruction. 20 He who has a crooked mind finds no good, And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil. 21 He who sires a fool does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy. 22 A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. 23 A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom To pervert the ways of justice. 24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. 25 A foolish son is a grief to his father And bitterness to her who bore him. 26 It is also not good to fine the righteous, Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness. 27 He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. 28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

It's a Great Time to Start

It's not only the beginning of a new year, but a new month.  If you have not already made it a part of your daily reading, why not try reading one chapter from the book of Proverbs a day.  Since there are 31 chapters, it is easy to read the chapter that coincides with the day of the month.  Just think - this book is God's principles for wise living!!! 

Proverbs 1

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, 3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; 4 To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, 5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8 Hear, my son, your father's instruction And do not forsake your mother's teaching; 9 Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. 11 If they say, "Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause; 12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who go down to the pit; 13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with spoil; 14 Throw in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse," 15 My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path, 16 For their feet run to evil And they hasten to shed blood. 17 Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net In the sight of any bird; 18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; They ambush their own lives. 19 So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence; It takes away the life of its possessors. 20 Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; 21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings: 22 "How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge? 23 "Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. 24 "Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; 25 And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof; 26 I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, 27 When your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. 28 "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me, 29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD. 30 "They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof. 31 "So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices. 32 "For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them. 33 "But he who listens to me shall live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil."  (NAU)